I think we kind of fall into a mindset where because we liked a few specific series or books in a genre and they resonated so heavily, we feel like we should therefore like a lot of other series and books from that genre. When what we really need to do is realize that it's not necessarily the genre that gripped us but those specific series and books themselves. At least, that is how I have come to understand it for myself. I can say I love urban fantasy, but what I really mean is I love The Dresden Files, Kate Daniels, and Neverwhere. Obviously there are others, but for an overall genre, I don't care for most of what I've sampled. And I've discovered that it's like that for most genres.
I’m struggling with fantasy as well, especially newer published fantasy books. I don’t know if they all feel the same, but maybe? And also highly agree on the under edited books 🥲
Is anyone surprised anymore when I show up if ❤Hobb ❤is mentioned? The hangover is real. Rather than 'ruined for me' I call it 'set the bar *really* high' 😁 I enjoyed Joe Abercrombie's First Law too, and like you, need to move forward into that series. For 'lighter' fantasy, I adore Mercedes Lackey. She's got several series that you can jump in and out of without worry, Valdemar, Bardic Voices, 500 Kingdoms, Elemental Masters.. you may enjoy those. I recently discovered the Seanan Maguire novella series of Wayward Children too, and they were well done. Reading is so intensely personal, that falling in and out of love with genres seems fair. Thanks Mara ☺
I hear you. I grew up on the series that must not be named, came back to reading as an adult after grad school with NK Jemisin. So there have been some important fantasy books in my reading life. But for the last couple years I haven’t really been able to make myself read a fantasy. I just need to accept that I’m in a messy contemporary genre phase of life right now, and that’s okay. I think I thought of myself as a fantasy reader, so making that adjustment in my mind was a hurdle. I hope you can continue to find and read things you love.
This is interesting and makes perfect sense. For breaking slumps I really, really recommend Ben Aaronovitch’s Rivers of London series. The books are short, there’s always a mystery, there is a minor romantic element, and they are very British (which is why they aren’t as popular here.) Whenever Ben releases a book it’s my most anticipated book of the year. All of his books are satisfying in that favorite dessert sort of way. The series must be read in order and it gets stronger as it goes along but it’s never like wading through the first four books of Dresden. I always revert to (good) urban fantasy when I get burned out on the longer books. I have fun and it reignites my love of fantasy in general. But, of course, that’s just me.
The thing I realized for myself is that I tend to prefer books written by women. There are a few male authors I read such as Jim Butcher and Brandon Sanderson. For Rofan - Sharon Shinn. Easy starting place is Summer's at Castle Auburn. More High Fantasy - Deed of Paksenarrion by Elizabeth Moon; Katherine Kerr's Deverry Series starting with Daggerspell; more Rofan is Mercedes Lackey starting with Arrows of the Queen. Others in YA - Tamora Pierce always, Meredith Ann Pierce with DarkAngel and Birth of the Firebringer. For something different Anne McCaffrey's Dragonriders of Pern (they are definitely romance if you look at it).
I started reading adult fantasy with Robin Hobb in early 2021. I thought- ohh pretty cover (the UK ones) and the fact that it was broken into sub-series so if I didn't care for it I could dip out easily and still feel like I got a complete story. Hobb became my favorite author and sparked my love for adult fantasy. Now I feel like I'm making up for lost time. Do other authors compare to her as far as prose, character building, developing themes, and connecting things from one booknto another? Nope. She's in a class by herself. But I do love what other authors are able to do.
I read the Realm of the Elderlings back in 2019. I'm not joking when I tell you I think about them everyday. At least once a day Fitz's face pops in my head or I think about scenes. I don't know man, Hobb changed me lol. It's kind of crazy. I'm not obsessed really, but I do think about it everyday.
I had the exact same experience with both Tolkien and Hobb. I am struggling with all high fantasy right now because I finished Hobb about a year ago. I feel like nothing will ever compare to her characters 😭
Fantasy is my fav genre.. but I've had to become picky about what I consume. I don't have time for a long, sprawling epic. I can't be as forgiving when I'm not feeling an element of a story. 🤷🏽♀️ Life is just too hectic.
I’ve been experiencing the Hobb hangover after finishing the series in the new year and have reached a point where I’m starting to think I just don’t like reading anymore, the struggle is real 😭 But this conversation has got me thinking that maybe as readers we focus too much on genre when instead we should be looking to the specific aspects of books we enjoy I.e. characters, writing style, structure, tropes, themes. Genre is so broad and all encompassing and enjoying one book/series in a specific genre doesn’t necessarily have any bearing on whether we would enjoy others in the same genre. It’s definite food for thought for me as I also try to overcome a massive reading slump.
I relate so much! After finishing the realm of the elderlings I was grieving. I reread the entire series and still can’t stop thinking about it. I’m not sure I’ll ever find anything I love that much so it makes other books pail comparison.
i am definitely a fantasy mixed in with other things sort of reader. really high fantasy is intimidating to me and I don't see that changing. there are a couple series I'm interested in trying eventually (The Poppy War, Jade City) and going back and actually reading LOTR (I've only read the Hobbit and I was a kid) but it strikes me as a challenging genre to find your footing in. glad to see you back! love that hair clip!
It's interesting to hear this take - I couldn't get into Hobb and DNF'd The Royal Assassin - i'll have to check out your videos with the readalong to get a different take. I can definitely relate to the feeling of Author B not quite living up to Author A! thanks for your thoughts
If you don't mind reading an older fantasy, I think you would like Robin McKinley if you haven't read her before. She reminds me of T Kingfisher in her storytelling. Sunshine is an urban fantasy standalone novel with vampires, and it's probably her best-known book. I definitely read more fantasy in high school/college. I stay away from fantasy series now, unless it's one I've been reading for years. I'm definitely more about reading mystery and horror books primarily now. I feel like the characters sometimes get lost in these big fantasy books. Plus, alot of it seems to be romantasies, and I really don't enjoy those for the most part.
So interesting to hear your perspective bc I also follow so many fantasy channels and they are always talking about the epics and even making videos about epic fantasy dying and I’m just an urban fantasy girlie myself. I love Percy Jackson and shadowhunters and having an element of the real world so much more but I do love some of the high fantasy I’ve read too like name of the wind and strange the dreamer. I guess it’s just one of those things where you have very specific preferences and just have to find what you like and be in the right mood, etc…
Oh interesting, I haven't seen the "epic fantasy is dying" discourse, but I clearly need to find it! 😹 Urban fantasy or our world with a little magic has always been my sweet spot, so I think I may just need to get back to my roots
So much of what you expressed resonates with me. Love Tolkein, when I have one of those "I'm awake in the wee hours of the night" moments I listen to LOR on audio, such a comfort listen. I enjoyed the Farseer Trilogy, struggled a bit through Live Ship Traders, and I know the time is not right to start the next. I'm doing best with thrillers, horror (mild please), and shorter fantasy.
If and when you want to get back into high fantasy I recommend Tad Williams. I've read a lot from both authors and Williams' world, characters and prose are as beautiful and compelling if not more so than Hobbs'. But they are chunky books, and he tends to write in quartets rather than trilogies so only to be considered when you're ready for that sort of thing! One of his lesser knows quartets and my personal favourite that people never talk about is the Shadowmarch series x
Glad to see you feeling more like yourself I really enjoyed The Will of the Many, not without flaws, but very pacy with some meaty themes and fresh approaches. But you know, it can wait, that's the great thing about books.
I’ve thought of a option for the fantasy world/mystery plot/romance focus combo and it’s under 400 pages! The Last Binding trilogy by Freya Marske is set in a hidden magical society in pre-WW1 England with a plot centered on unraveling a murderous conspiracy. Each book in the trilogy focuses on a different romantic couple and each book is around 400 pages, give or take 20 pages.
I am always looking for fantasy that gives me the same vibes as Robin Hobb and Brandon Sanderson (I have been reading Sanderson since 2010 and really enjoy his books and Cosmere development) and a couple that I have really enjoyed the plot development, character work and world building on a similar level is the Black Prism series by Brent Weeks and the Bloodsworn Saga by John Gwynne. I also love Juliet Marillier.
I feel this, I think I kind of did it to myself with Malazan. It took about a year for me to complete the main series. I went looking for other books to read, and I have all of these other books to read, but after just a few months I started back over with Malazan. I just can't seem to get into much else. Well, I am struggling with reading in general, I just haven't been in the mood. I am still able to fully commit to Mercy Thompson, general romance books, and some cozy fantasy.
I find my mood changes a lot, and what works for me today might not in a few months. I read exclusively from the library, and i find that some books sit for a while if I can renew them, and by the time I pick them up, i may not enjoy them anymore. Sometimes I'll put them down for a few weeks if I can and try again. Other times I'll read the end, and see if it motivates me to go back and read it. If not, I return it and move on. Thankfully there is always something else to try, so hopefully the next book will work better. I used to force myself to finish books, but that just makes things worse.
I also struggle with finding new reads in adult high fantasy. Penric and Desdemona are the only thing I devour as soon as it comes out, but they are novellas, not really sprawling epics. So, I started rereading. Princes of Amber at the moment. Loving it! One of the series that got me into reading, so I have nostalgia on my side too.
I am a burnt out on romance at the moment, I find I can only read it lately in webtoon format or in a fiction where I already am invested in the characters. I am mostly just giving myself time away to reset. I am also struggling with YA fantasy but I think it’s because so many of them have a pretty strong romance element which is putting me off from picking them up 😅
If you're looking for a YA fantasy with little/no romance, maybe give Spin of Fate by A.A. Vora a try. I did read Snowglobe by Soyoung Park recently and really liked it. It's kind of what I imagine life in the Capitol in The Hunger Games would be like.
Interesting video topic. The Dandelion Dynasty ruined epic fantasy for me and it’s been very hard for me to enjoy fantasy since I completed it last year. I think I’m done with fantasy except for ongoing series I’m already invested in for the time being. I do recommend picking up The Wall of Storms when you’re in the mood again. The rest of the series has much more focus on characters, though still has a heavy dose of plot.
@@sorenkrane I hope you enjoy it! I loved the first book, but it's omniscient narration and huge cast of characters doesn't jibe with a lot of readers. The rest of the series focuses more on the next generation and is more traditionally told, with lots of complex characters. The Wall of Storms is arguably the best fantasy sequel ever written. It takes the series in a direction you never saw coming and leaves you speechless.
Robin Hobb is one of my favorites, too! Very few others compare, and I keep looking for some that do. But, I've never read LOTR. I just finished the 2nd in the Red Rising series and don't plan to ever read another - too many battle scenes. Love Martha Wells and Becky Chambers for shorter SF. I also like Butcher and Pratchett for occasional reads. Guy Gavriel Kay writes beautifully, but his books are not short. He does have a few stand-alones. I found The Blade Itself to be really repetitive - dozens of chopped off heads rolling down hills and the poor guy with alternate teeth endlessly struggling to get up the stairs. I just wanted somebody to pull the rest of his teeth so I wouldn't have to hear about it again - lol. I'm glad, though, that Abercrombie is an author you enjoy! I have been an avid reader for many decades. And yes, my reading tastes have changed several times. My advice is to keep trying new authors and new subgenres and read what you enjoy! Thanks for the video!
I think that figuring out what does and doesn't work for you atm is at least a positive consequence of the slump 😊 Also, the problem with rereading Robin Hobb over and over would be ending up devastated all the time, imo (I remember hearing the rumors somewhere that her Soldier Son trilogy is _even more_ devastating than Realm of the Elderlings) 😅
I struggle with fantasy. I love the world building but most are too long, I find they repeat nearly the exact same battle scene over and over - I guess a lot of people like that but I find it boring and it lends an unnecessarily brutal vibe. I do like Robin Hobb tho. 😊 And Kingfisher. I really should read Tolkien, the Hobbit is the only one I've read and that was in high school in the >gasp< '70's. 😅
I’m just starting back up with fantasy after many years. Though I don’t think anything ruined it for me. Other than mystery, my appetite for any other genres I read comes and goes. Pick up whatever is calling you! Thanks for the video. I love how you analyze and share thoughts!
I’m relatively new here so idk if you’ve already heard/tried it, but it sounds like The Tainted Cup might be up your alley. It’s a Holmes and Watson style murder mystery in a very unique fantasy setting with a queer romantic subplot. It is over 400 pages though, but when you said the mystery engine, fantastic setting, with romance that was the first book I thought of. Best of luck! ❤
Ok, I think I get what you mean by “high fantasy” and I agree that RH sets the bar high. So where is the low fantasy? Or better yet, Space Opera?!?! I want to see something about the Liaden Universe (Sharon Lee, Steve Miller). The books aren’t too long, the characters are interesting and, although there are dark threads, it’s NOT so grim as most current fantasy. Add that to your comfort reading list!!!
I've been reading more this year than l have for many years so it can work both ways. I don't tend to read fantasy so haven't tried Robin Hobb yet. But l have read and really enjoyed TJ Klune. Thank you for the update. And l love the new intro music. ❤
I can relate so much to this video. Thank you so much for sharing insights on your reading journey. I have always known High Fantasy books take the most brain energy for me. Just the size, consuming a massive story in another world, trying to puzzle out a decode how everything works. While Fantasy books are the most work for me they are also so rewarding. I always felt that there would come a time when I would essentially retire from reading Fantasy in favor of say mystery books which I rarely read. I have thought about myself as a future reader and I think I might enjoy cozy mystery books or just more Contemporary style books. I have a big list of titles I want to get to and then I think I might transition away from them. I also noticed that it is actually harder for me to listen to Fantasy books than to read them with my eyes. Ebooks work best so I am not holding a weight. I seem to lock in the information better when I am looking at the page. Also, I have to train my brain to read Fantasy books. Like if it has been a while and I am rusty I struggle more. It's like I have to remember how to digest those first few hundred pages of world building and tell myself to just go with it and not get to caught up in trying to figure out the small details. Follow the pace of the story and let it unwrap itself slowly. As a person who loves to wolf stories down it can be difficult to take in a Story piece by piece. Fantasy books definitely force me to read/ work more slowly and requires so much mental stamina especially when going through long series. Such fun torture at times😂❤
Great point. And it's not as if writer's get paid by the word, so I'm not sure why some books are so bloody long. I also wonder if we have gotten used to absorbing everything so quickly, thanks to the internet (Tik-Tok and Reels and YT Shorts) if we're just less tolerant of long fiction? One of my favorite books is Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, which is well over 700 pages, and even though I LOVE the book, I can still see how, in the first quarter of the book especially, it could be trimmed. Like, I could cut 50 pages off of that first quarter AT LEAST. (In fact, when I RE-read the book, I sort of skip the first hundred pages.) I read constantly, but I will say that now, if a book is over 600 pages, I skip the book and go straight to the audio. Having said that, I know people who won't read anything under 300 pages because they don't think of those as "real books." It's all in the beholder. Thanks for the update, look forward to the next video.
My all-time favourite books are high fantasy with really long books. However, I only read one or two of those series with 50 shorter books in between. I can’t read long fantasy back to back. Since I started reading more mystery/thriller and romance it has helped me read a lot more books per year because having palate cleansers works so well for me.
I would recommend Wars of Light and Shadow by Janny Wurts for when you next want to try long high fantasy. It is an excellent series. Solidly my number 1. For smaller series, I would recommend Age of Five by Trudi Canavan. I can’t tell you what I love most about it as that heads into spoiler territory. For smaller length books, try Deverry by Katharine Kerr. The initial cycle is the first 4 books. Has a great reincarnation idea threaded through - we read current and past lives and there is so much done well.
Have you ever read Guy Gavriel Kay? He writes a lot of standalone fantasy books that have more of a historical fiction feel. The Lions of Al-Rassan is my recommendation for where to start.
I absolutely get you 😅 I was raised on Tolkien and spent too many years stuck on mediocre high fantasy. Then fell in love with Percy Jackson and thought it was because of the mythology part - nope, I think it was more about the writing. Now I say I love urban fantasy, especially with some mystery elements, but the two last ones I've read were 2 stars so I have to be even more specific than that 😂 Anyway, I think booktube teaching me to at least try different genres was one of the best things to ever happen to me (or at least to my reading habits), I discovered so many books I'd never pick up on my own 📚
I think taking a break from a genre makes a lot of sense. This year fantasy came back for me but the last few years it took a backseat to romance. If you read widely then rotating genres sounds like a great idea 👍👍
Have you read any of the Brandon Sanderson pandemic books? Tress of the Emerald Sea and The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England were both so fun and fast reads. I haven't liked anything else by him, but flew through these two.
Thank you Mara, and yes, that was very interesting :) Thinking about my own literary tastes and how they evolve is definitely part of being a reader for me. By the way, I just ordered the Amberlough trilogy. It was on my list since I heard you talk about it in a video several years ago. And it seems to fit into the version of fantasy I've realized I like best: literary fantasy with a well-defined historical context. Still trying to find something that measures up to my current favorite, The Witches of New York
Heh, I've never thought about it this way, but I love the framing of an author in a particular genre setting the bar too high and effectively ruining the genre for yourself. I started reading Robin Hobb with Assassin's Quest back in the late '90s (yes, I started with the second book in the series lol), and that was probably the last fantasy series before I shifted away from being having fantasy be the bulk of my fiction reading. I used to say that I'd probably read too much fantasy and just tired of it, but might have to steal the idea that Hobb just ruined most other fantasy for me! 🤣
I’m not sure what it is-OCD, ADHD or something else but I read Ship of Magic and just couldn’t take the 800+ pages. It was good and I was enjoying it but the never ending factor really got to me and I skimmed the last several hundred pages. I think it’s because there are so many books out there that I want to read that I just can’t take the time investment of that many pages or maybe I just get bored? I’m glad other people enjoy long books but they’re just not for me.
This year, it seems like you have really fine tuned your knowledge of what you like and dislike. Life is short, so " go forth and be picky!" I read that there are 30,000 books in a bookstore, and many heavy readers won't read 3,000 books in their lifetime. So, since we can only read 10% or so of the average bookstore, we really need to be picky, and be discerning. I am in a reading slump, too. I have somewhat abandoned my serious pre-planned list for this year. I was just really hating the pressure I had imposed on myself. So, I am reading some romances instead.
This is totally off topic, but did you knit your T-shirt? Is it the color tip tee from Emily Curtis? As someone who is just getting into knitting garments I’m so impressed by all your knits recently! Always so lovely to get a video from you!
I forget, were you planning to try more Jemisin after fifth season? Cause they are shorter fantasy and I know you had a generally good time with that trilogy
Robin Hobb ruined reading in general for me for a good 2-3 months after I finished the first trilogy in the series. I swear I couldn't get into ANYTHING! I totally get where you're coming from.
I realized while hearing you talk about it that Robin Hobb has kind of ruined epic fantasy for me too. The last fantasy book I gave 5 stars was the last Fitz book, which I read a year ago. I've been reading more epic fantasy than ever this year, trying new authors. I've found some solid 4 star reads, but nothing is quite as good as Robin Hobb, and the comparison is always in the back of my mind while reading. I'll keep trying to find that high, but I need to read the books Hobb published under Megan Lindholm asap to get a win this year 😂
I also love The Beekeeper's Apprentice. For what it's worth, the romantic relationship isn't written in a particularly romantic way. The emphasis is on their working relationship. Maybe what I'm trying to say is that it's not mushy at all! lol
I also think fantasy books are too long without enough editing --- but then I checked "The Will of the Many" and realize that's 650 pages, so clearly I'm okay when it's long some of the time. :D
I have never read a big chunky adult high fantasy and I'm absolutely terrified to pick a first one! Undiagnosed ADHD kept me from reading for 8-10 years and I read almost exclusively YA sci-fi/fantasy before then. Now that I'm back into reading, I've acquired several of the big names and am afraid I'll choose wrong and be bored or not be smart enough for the scope and feel like an idiot. 😅 So, I feel your pain and hope I find my Tolkien!
I couldn’t stand the grace of kings when I tried to read it. Might give it another try cause I know it’s so well thought of. Never read Robing Hobb, always wanted to. But don’t know where to start with her
I know I mentioned this in a comment to you a while ago, and while not a one-to-one at all as they're really different, but knowing you like Malka Older's short novella's, I highly recommend reading The Lies Of The Ajungo by Moses Ose Utomi which is an African inspired fantasy which is under 100 pages! I believe it's going to be a trilogy, and the second book is out right now, which is also under 100 pages 😆 Some other really short Fantasy/Speculative novellas which I highly recommend and can be read in one sitting are: - Even Though I Knew The End by C.L.Polk (Black) - Recitatif by Toni Morrison (Black) - The Ballad of Black Tom by Victor LaValle (Black) - Galatea by Madeline Miller (White) - Upright Woman Wanted by Sarah Gailey (White) - High Times In The Low Parliament by Kelly Robson (White) - The Return Of The Sorceress by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (Latine) - Stranger To The Moon by Evelio Rosero (Latine) - We The Animals by Justin Torres (Latine) - Burning Roses by S.L.Huang (Asian) - The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw (Asian) - The Order Of The Pure Moon Reflected In Water by Zen Cho (Asian) Apologies if you've already read some on this list! I was personally able to read all of these books relatively quickly, and a lot of what you were talking about in the video made me want to at least bring these to your attention. I think the longest book in the list is like at ~150 pages. 😄
I totally feel the same about fantasy these past couple of years. I read and LOVED The Tainted Cup because it was Agatha Christie with fantastical elements that made my heart so happy 💕
Fantasy is my main genre, but I really have to limit the number of Epic Fantasy Chonkers I tackle each year because they can be demotivating for me, too.
When you're ready for new suggestions - but only then! - as a fellow Robin Hobb superfan, some of my favourite series in recent years have been by Robert Jackson Bennett (Foundryside). KJ Parker (Engineer trilogy) and Daniel Abraham (Dagger and Coin). I wonder if you might like the Temeraire books by Naomi Novik too, they're a reasonable length and have good dragons
I've recently accepted that I'm not really a fantasy person unless it's super queer (with possible exceptions for a strong/ intelligent woman main character). I've just accepted and leaned into my era of nonfiction (social, science and history), world literature and queer genre fiction (mostly scifi and romance).
For me I am having this issue but with romance. The first contemporary romance I read was the book that got me back into reading after college ect took the joy of reading out of me. It was so good and was just what I needed in the moment that I have a hard time not comparing it to every other contemporary I read. I feel like I need to try more fantasy romance and see if the change in setting helps.
Just wondering - have you ever read anything by Juliet Marillier? Especially the Seven Waters series comes to mind. I don't remember ever having seen you talk about her works and, knowing your taste, I think you would adore them. They are more of a low fantasy with a strong romantic subplots tho
I’m with you - I loved LOTR, then tried more fantasy and didn’t like it, pivoted to classics, and many years later tried Hobb on a whim and got hooked - binged and adored the bunch. I don’t go for fantasy almost ever tho, because generally it doesn’t do it for me 🤷♀️
They start with the wacky names and I'm out basically. I've tried the Disc world books four times now.. and it just loses me! LOTR is also my first, well after Harry Potter of course. And I don't know why it doesn't grab me. But I have the same feeling with Fantasy movies (same goes for scifi actually. But I'm slowly getting into that now.)
I know you said you're not planning to start any new long epic fantasy, but (haha) when you are! The Mask of Mirrors trilogy is the one that's working for me right now, which I found via Angela from LitSciAlli.
Maybe a move to discover more standalone fantasy books? There are so many amazing ones, but they're hard to discover. Also, you shoyld read Rosemary Kirstein, no-one talks about her Steerswomen series and it is FANTASTIC. Really, my top fantasy series.
I just started my journey with Tolkein. Wish me luck. The Hobbit was a 4 star, and I'm gonna give myself some time before the rest so i don't get fried.
I like fantasy but it is not my go to genre, so I can't really read fantasy back to back. I have also found for me I need to space out books in the same series. I try not to read back to back or I get burned out.
Before you said it I was already thinking you could try the rest of Abercrombie First Law world! I’ve recently started Hobb and am loving it - about to read Assassin’s Quest and have already ordered the next two trilogies. And re The Girl and the Mountain - I think that might just be a boring book 😆 It was my first Lawrence and I didn’t like it, but will still try Red Sister.
I have a hard time reading Fantasy with kings and queens hard to read. I don't like the characters. I have read Lincoln Child and loved him. Now Preston Child series is next. Go figure, thrillers. Hope you're having a great summer.
I'm pretty sure I've done the same thing, read robin hobb in 2022 and haven't really liked a fantasy series besides Joe abercrombie and Terry pratchett since, the bar's just way too high for brandon sanderson et all to get over 🙃
As someone who is on book 4 of the first 5 of the stormlight archive series, i agree that a lot of fantasy books are too long... and is it just me or is all the lore and intricacies of the magic system in this series too damn hard to remember?
I felt that way after reading The Broken Earth trilogy. I thought I might like fantasy but then I tried a bunch and was sorely disappointed in the lack of depth, writing quality, and uniqueness. I found most fantasy too commercial and/or masculine in comparison so I gave up on the genre.
Gotta love a rambling repetitive ultimately pointless video lamenting the lack of editors and wishing books weren’t so long. Like your video was one thought stretched on a torture rack.
I feel the same way. The first adult fantasy series I ever read was the Song of Ice and Fire, which made me think I was a fantasy girlie. I pushed through so many series because I felt like I had to try them, and nothing was ever as good as Game of thrones was and is 🫤 now it just makes me really sad and I barely read fantasy anymore
aSoIaF and Robin's Hobb Realm of the Elderlings are my two favorite series ever. Since I've read them, I haven't find anything that could compare. And it's been yeeeeearrrs. Like I had some solid 4 stars read but no 5 stars read ever since. I feel like epic fantasy is ruined for me because of these two series
Ok, I think I get what you mean by “high fantasy” and I agree that RH sets the bar high. So where is the low fantasy? Or better yet, Space Opera?!?! I want to see something about the Liaden Universe (Sharon Lee, Steve Miller). The books aren’t too long, the characters are interesting and, although there are dark threads, it’s NOT so grim as most current fantasy. Add that to your comfort reading list!!!
